Tacos are among the most popular dishes resulting in part from their inherent versatility. Tacos have a wide range of different regional recipes and varieties that appeal to a wide spectrum of the public. Preparing a taco shell, however, can be a time consuming and a dangerous task. Traditionally, taco shells are prepared by placing tortillas onto a hot pan and repeatedly flipping them by hand until they are sufficiently heated. Special care and attention must be taken to not burn one's fingertips during the flipping process. After the tortilla has been sufficiently heated, it may then be used as a taco shell. As a result of this heating process, the tortilla consequently becomes firm and resistant to changes in its shape. For example, the tortilla may crack if a user tries to fold the tortilla in half, which is what is customarily done after placing the taco ingredients in the tortilla. Even if the tortilla does not crack, the tortilla may unfold, due to its resistance in changing its shape, and spill the contents all over the user.
Taco shells are also commonly prepared by first frying the tortillas in boiling hot oil and then folding them over a rack to cool in the folded position. However, having a substantial source of boiling oil near a user is a hazard. Moreover, frying the tortillas in oil is also not an appealable proposition to those who are health conscious. One of the most common causes for early death is heart disease with high cholesterol and high fat foods, such as foods prepared in oil, being the main culprits.
Additionally, due to modern employment demands people have less free time than they have had in the past. As a result, people are now finding themselves having to choose between preparing home cooked meals or spending quality time with their families. In order to prepare a taco shell using the hot pan method, a pan must be first heated and individual tortillas placed onto the pan, individually flipped, and removed by hand. To prepare a taco shell using the hot oil method, a pan must be first filled with oil, then brought up to a boiling temperature, then the tortillas must then be placed in the hot oil for a period of time and then finally removed to cool before being ready to eat. These two processes are unnecessarily time-consuming and taxing on the user.
Similar processes and issues arise out of the preparation of other foldable food products such as, flatbread, naan, pita, focaccia, injera, malawach, or pizza crust, among others.